Cuba–Iraq relations


Cuban-Iraqi relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Cuba and Iraq. Cuba's friendly relations with Iraq dated back to the Non Aligned Movement meeting held in Cuba 1979. Fidel Castro even provided doctors to perform back surgery on Hussein.
Cuba consistently supported Iraq at the UN against sanctions and threats made by the United States. The thirteen-year sanction against Iraq prevented much trade between Havana and Baghdad. Both countries are full members of the Group of 77.

History

Timeline of the 90s

Rodrigo Alvarez Cambras, president of the Cuba-Iraq Friendship Society, meets with Saddam Hussein on his trip to Baghdad to discuss health and trade relations.
Iraq and Cuba sign an agreement calling for coordination in international forums and organisations in Havana. The Cuban deputy foreign minister states "The advanced relations with Iraq are the result of the determination displayed by the presidents and two parties in the two countries."
Rodrigo Alvarez Cambra confirms that Saddam Hussein has been his patient over the last two decades, stating that he has developed a "close relationship with Saddam" in the time they worked together.
Alvarez Cambra discusses Saddam's medical condition stating that he led a group of specialists to Iraq twenty times over the past two decades in order to treat Saddam.
Cuba and Iraq sign an economic and technical cooperation protocol to increase the sale of Cuban medicine to Iraq, and cooperation in the health sector.
Alvarez Cambra returns to Cuba from Iraq, where he met with Saddam Hussein and Tariq Aziz. He states "we talked about cooperation issues, above all in the health sector. Their minister of public health recently came here and we will begin a broad cooperation between Cuba and Iraq."
An Iraqi parliamentary delegation finishes an official trip to Cuba, during which they visited Cuba's Frank Pais Scientific Research Center and the Molecular Immunology Research Center.

Diplomatic Missions